Black-and-white Films and Davis Essay

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Scene 1:
Coming from the Bakuda Tribe, Akilah and her mom are at Makalu Lake washing their clothes. In Africa, Akilah means intelligent one who reasons. As they wash their clothes, they are singing loud enough for them not to hear the four white men coming from behind them. These men were slave catchers, and soon enough would have Akilah and her mom in nets, just like the other people they have captured in the tribe. When they did, Akilah tried to fight her way out the net – biting, scratching, etc. Eventually, she was beat and clubbed until she was unconscious.

Scene 2: After being beaten, and unconscious, Akilah was shipped over to Virginia with her family and the rest of her tribe. Akilah is then put up for the slave auction. As she stands up there, she cries hopelessly for her mom over and over again. Then before she could cry any longer, the bidding began. After several bids, John C. Davis bid the highest - $400.00. Akilah was then officially sold off to Mr. John C. Davis on January 6th, 1854 at the age of 14. Akilah was sold off separately from her Mom and brothers. Scene 3:

Akilah is then brought to Davis plantation. When she arrives at the plantation, she notices all the people who are working, staring at her. As she passes by them, everyone is looking at her weirdly, and whispering to each other about her. Later, Akilah is put to work in the fields with everyone else. The overseer was assigned to call her by her new name: Marcella. When she didn’t reply to his calling, he would whip her on her legs. She would try to run out the field, until she was caught into the arms of George, another slave on the Davis plantation. George was a 17 year old guy who later on taught Marcella new things, slowly, but was still able to make progress.

Scene 4: One night, after a long day of working, Marcella walks to her cabin, tired. When she enters her cabin, Master Davis is laying down on her bed. Before she can get out of the cabin, Master Davis jumps off the bed and corners her against the wall. “Please! Don’t do this to me Master, please!” She pleaded and pleaded, but her pleading was of no use. Soon enough, Master Davis threw her on the bed, and the “session” begins. After a few hours, Davis walks out of the cabin, leaving Marcella crying on the floor with her gown ripped.

Scene 5: One morning, George found Marcella sitting on the floor, crying behind the stable. Before George could ask her what was wrong, he figured it out when he looked at Marcella’s belly. Marcella was pregnant, and when George looked at her, she covered her face in shame. “Why, Marcella? Why?” George asked her. “Master forced himself onto me months ago,” Marcella said, “I didn’t think this was going to happen, which is why I didn’t say anything.” George shook his head and told her, “You better tell him the next time he goes into your cabin, it will be his last. Tell him, he will get hurt if he comes back,” then helping Marcella to her feet, George told Marcella that if she would not do what he said, he would never talk to her again. Then he went back to the field to work.

Scene 6: Taking to heart what George had said, Marcella had a frank discussion with the Master that evening. But of course, Davis was the “master”, and a slave was not to tell the Master what he may-or may not- do. Disregarding Marcella’s desire to be left alone, Davis returned to her cabin that night. And like Marcella said, she would hurt Davis if he came back to her. When he entered her cabin that night, Marcella attempted to hit him with the broom, hoping to hurt him bad. But it turned out to be an epic fail, and then of course, Davis forced himself onto Marcella.

Scene 7: Davis had obviously not forgotten about Marcella hitting him the night before, because the next
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